In Memoriam

It's been 10 years since that fateful day, and I believe that it has all been said by now, but I am going to jot down a few lines anyway. Many coworkers have spent the last few days talking about where they were and what they were doing on September 11th, 2001. Very few discuss how they felt at the time, however. There seems to be no need to express how one felt then; it's apparent in the telling. As I watch and listen, I see eyes tearing, voices becoming wobbly and changing in pitch as throats struggle to swallow and a stillness comes over those that are listening. It's the telling of the stories that convey the healing that has occurred, or not, as the case may be. It's the telling of the stories that fortify us and remind us of our fragility. It's the telling of the stories that make ordinary people become soldiers and protectors and heroes. It's in the stories, and the faces and voices.